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Personal Ministry

The eloquent witness of Scripture points out the reality of what we might call “people power.” Even a cursory glance through the Bible illustrates this truth. God used Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Hannah, Deborah, Solomon, and Elijah in the Old Testament. He used Peter, Paul, Luke, Lydia, Priscilla, Apollos, Timothy, Titus, Aquila, and John in the New Testament. And, of course, we easily think of many servants who came later, such as William Carey, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Dwight L. Moody, Billy Graham, and Ed Schneider.

Ed Schneider! Who is Ed Schneider? He was Gary’s youth leader, of course. You most likely do not know him, but he is representative of uncountable numbers of people God has used to further his cause over some two thousand–plus years. At the time, Ed was serving as a soldier in the US Army. Later, after he left military service, he worked as a loan agent for a local loan company. Ed was not a seminary graduate. He was not formally ordained. He was not employed full time in a paid ministry position. Ed reminds us, however, that God acts through all his people, working in concert with the Head—Jesus Christ. People power was evident in the life of Ed Schneider due to his willingness to use his gifts in sacrificial service to the Lord he loved.

You might be a fit church if . . .

  • You teach and preach on spiritual gifts.
  • You help people discover their unique purpose in ministry.
  • You equip people to use their gifts, talents, and skills in ministry.
  • You place people in ministry according to their passions.
  • You provide encouragement through coaching of those in ministry.
  • You offer ongoing training for people to improve their ministry skills.
  • You express appreciation in various ways to those involved in ministry.

Foundations for Personal Ministry

A vital belief of any fit church is that God uses his people to grow his church.

The Great Commission states Christ’s followers are expected to propagate the faith. We are all to be “witnesses” (Acts 1:8), all to use our gifts (see 1 Pet. 4:10), all to do the work of ministry (see Eph. 4:12). God does not call to ministry only a few highly gifted people. Instead, he calls all his people to serve him in his mission in the world.

The Church—a Kingdom of Priests

The true followers of Jesus Christ are called priests. The apostle John wrote to the early churches, “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:6, emphasis added). Peter likewise understood the high standing of God’s people. “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:4–5, emphasis added). The church—a kingdom of priests!

This priesthood of all believers is a commonly agreed on doctrine (at least among Protestant churches), but it continues as a work in progress. Christians still struggle with the meaning of their divinely ordained title. Many Christians have never seriously sought to find a personal place in the priesthood of all believers. Nevertheless, the proper starting point for engaging believers in personal ministry is a biblical understanding of those who are members of a church.

The Priests—a People

The church is one class of people. The historical division of God’s people into two classes—clergy and laity—is unfortunate. The term “laity” (laos) derives from the Greek word for people, crowd, or nation. It designates those who belong to the people of God. For example, Paul told Titus he was looking for the blessed hope and appearing of Christ Jesus, “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14, emphasis added). The true laity are all those who have been chosen by God, called out of the mass of humankind, and are following him. The idea of a separate clergy (kleros) class of people is not in the Bible. Evidently, the idea of a separate class of trained people called “clergy” came from Greco-Roman politics and slowly made its way into church language and practice. Yet the Bible contains no glimmer of the idea of a separate class of clergy versus laity. There is only one class of people—the people of God. The biblical words for God’s people are disciples, Christians, and saints (see Acts 11:26; Eph. 2:19). We are all one people.

The People—Ministers

God’s people are called and gifted to serve him. The apostle Peter declares that each believer “has received a special gift” and that we should “employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10). According to Paul, “We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,” and we should exercise them accordingly (Rom. 12:6). Speaking about spiritual gifts to the Corinthian believers, Paul writes, “Each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7). Even though good works do not save us (see Eph. 2:8–9), God has created us for good works and expects us to do them (see v. 10).

The Pastors—Teachers and Trainers

Some of the people of God rise up to become leaders. Paul points out at least four (possibly five) leadership roles among God’s people: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (see Eph. 4:11). The role of these leaders is not to do all the work of ministry but to train the people to do God’s work. Those called apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are to equip the saints “for the work of service” (v. 12). “To equip” is used in the Greek language in the sense of setting a broken bone or mending a torn net. Essentially, it connotes the idea of making a person or object fit to do the task for which they were created. Thus, a net is mended so it can be used to catch fish. A broken leg bone is set so the leg can function properly. Therefore, church leaders are to train the people of God to make them fit to do the work for which Christ called them. This means (among many other things) apostolic church leaders are to train people to plant churches, prophetic leaders are to teach people to declare God’s Word, evangelistic leaders are to train God’s people to reach nonbelievers, pastoral leaders are to train people to protect and care for others, and teachers are to train people to understand and obey God’s Word.

The Gifts—Building Up the Body

We define personal ministry as accomplishing the purpose of the church through the members of the church. The overarching reason for training people to use their God-given gifts is “to the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). This “building up” spans the entire scope of growth: personal maturity, spiritual growth, and numerical expansion of the church. “We are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Eph. 4:15–16).

Build Momentum for Personal Ministry

Becoming a fit church is directly proportional to the degree the people of God are active in ministry. This principle has significant implications for a local church. Among other things, it means the heartbeat for a local church is the training of its people. Fit churches do the following things.

First, fit churches train people to know their spiritual gifts. People’s identities as gifted servants of God are important impetuses for involvement in ministry. Classes and small group leaders systematically teach that God calls his people to serve. As each person grows to understand their identity in Christ and his body, they catch the vision of personal ministry. Each one identifies their remarkable spiritual gifts, unique talents, and special skills. They discover their passion for ministry while committing to serving with the rest of the church body.

Second, fit churches equip people to use their gifts, abilities, and skills in ministry. As the consciousness for personal ministry develops within the church body, the church offers training to help people develop needed skills. The church begins by determining the needed skills in the community and the church. One church determined it needed to train people to share Christ with the nonchurched community. Another decided to train people to minister care to those in need. Still another organized a training event for tutors of elementary school–age children. Training does not necessarily mean a church must have a full-blown curriculum or training classes. The easiest way to begin is simply to ask those currently involved in church ministry to find an apprentice. As each person recruits and begins meeting with an apprentice, training begins naturally. The total number involved in personal ministry doubles. A church may certainly decide to provide a more formal training environment, but it is not necessary to do so to get started. The training does not need to be elaborate; it needs only to be functional.

Third, fit churches place people into ministry—quickly. Gary remembers how God started using him during his high school years. After becoming a Christian at age fourteen, Gary attended his church’s youth group for the first time. The next week, the leader of the youth group asked Gary to lead the music. The very next week! Gary had been involved in music since third grade, but he literally knew none of the songs the youth group sang. The youth director took a chance on Gary, and by getting him involved soon, the director communicated the importance of service—and Gary has been involved in ministry ever since!

In contrast to Gary’s experience, consider how differently many churches approach recruiting people to serve. Most make the new person observe the church’s ministry for a period of time. Later, when church leaders try to get the newer person involved, they find resistance. Why? The church has actually trained the new person to sit and be served rather than to work and serve others. A church must be wise (we do not want new people teaching our children doctrine), but engaging new people to serve in ministry early on pays rich dividends later. Fit churches typically have many entry-level options that allow newcomers to serve right away.

Fourth, fit churches provide coaching for people in ministry. Formal coaching is a somewhat recent development in churches, but people placed in ministry positions must always have someone of whom they can ask questions. One major advantage of an apprentice model is that it has a built-in coaching connection. In other situations, a coach can be assigned to a person in ministry. Whatever a church decides to do, it is important that no new servant be left alone.

A key part of Gary’s story is that he was coached. When Gary occasionally said something distracting while leading music, the youth leader would suggest a better way to make transitions between songs. He never corrected Gary in front of the other youth; he always waited to do it privately. However, when Gary did a fine job of leading, the youth director praised him in front of the other youth, thereby raising Gary up as a leader in their eyes.

Fifth, fit churches evaluate people in ministry. A coach should contact a person newly placed into ministry every week for one to two months. After the new person has two months of fruitful experience, a coach may reduce contact to around once a month. Coaching time should focus on questions such as “How are things going?” “What problems are you encountering?” “What further training would be beneficial?” “Are you experiencing a positive level of success?” The coach should address whatever issues they discover. If the person is not happy or not experiencing some level of success, the coach should attempt to place them in another ministry.

Sixth, fit churches build new ministry around their people’s gifts and passions. New people bring new gifts, skills, and interests to a church. In growing churches, the increase in the number of people reveals the need for fresh ministries and approaches. For example, a church may have one family with a child with special needs, but the church is too small to meet those needs. A larger church may discover fifteen families in the church have children with special needs. With such a critical mass, such a church may find it also has new people skilled to design and run a ministry for those children. The same is true for numbers of other needs and interests. The larger a church grows, the more it must be starting new ministries that serve the new people.

Seventh, fit churches express thanks to those in ministry. Churches that successfully enroll people in ministry over a long period of time have several ways of saying thanks to them. One church hosts a catered “Dinner of Appreciation” every year in May to which they invite people who have served in a ministry during the previous twelve months. A pastor in a smaller church handwrites one thank-you note a week to someone serving in ministry. He systematically works his way through every person in service and then begins over again. One church holds an awards dinner each year and distributes fun awards, such as the Golden Banana Award (for the most creative new ministry), the High Dive Award (for the most daring action taken by someone in ministry), and the Crazy Clown Award (for the person in ministry who makes everyone laugh). A church in Southern California allows its pastor to spend 1 percent of the church’s budget as he desires to motivate people. He often gives people checks along with thank-you notes with directions such as “Take your husband out for dinner for me.” Still other churches give out gift cards to local coffee shops as tokens of appreciation.

Be Sensitive to People’s Expectations

Competition for people’s time and energy has never been as intense as it is today. Work schedules, youth commitments, and leisure activities compete head-to-head for people’s involvement. So how can churches attract people to become involved in ministry? One way is to be sensitive to the expectations of people who serve.

First, people expect personal invitations to participate in ministry. Once upon a time, a pastor could simply announce a church’s need for help from the pulpit and people would respond. In today’s competitive environment, however, people expect the church to invite them personally to serve.

Second, people expect the church to prepare and equip them for ministry assignments. Invitations to serve must come with the opportunity to receive training for the job. People resist taking a position they are simply thrown into.

Third, people expect follow-up, encouragement, and recognition. Once a person accepts a new assignment and begins working, they look for regular evaluation and encouragement. People do not like Lone Ranger roles with no contact from leaders.

Fourth, people expect service opportunities that fit their schedules. People respond to ministry opportunities that provide a choice of times. While people want to serve, they must fit the ministry into their already busy schedules. The more you can offer choices for times and days they can serve, the greater the chance they will become involved.

Fifth, people expect to use their unique skills and personalities in a meaningful manner. People understand God has uniquely gifted them, and they desire to use those gifts. Thus, the more your church can tie invitations to serve to people’s spiritual gifts, the greater the chance they will agree to serve.

Sixth, people expect to make a difference in their churches, communities, and the world. Serving in a significant way is important to people. They make decisions about how to use their time, in part, based on their perceived value of the opportunity. The church has the greatest mission in the world, but leaders must communicate how each ministry opportunity fits into the Great Commission. The more people can see the important value of their roles, the more likely they are to serve.

Seventh, people expect to build relationships. After over thirty years of research, it’s clear that the number-one reason people participate in ministry is the friendships they develop through serving. Building teams around the numerous areas of service in your church is a good way to bond people together for fruitful ministry.

Eighth, people expect to grow spiritually and personally. Ministry burnout must be avoided at all costs. People who agree to serve in your church’s ministry want to experience growth spiritually and personally through their service.

Ninth, people expect their personal needs to be met. Leaders who oversee ministry workers must be sensitive to the needs of those who serve with them. Leaders must be shepherds, not only managers. Caring for workers involves listening to their hurts, problems, and needs. The more you care for your workers, the more they will care for the work.

Five Types of Churches

Beginner Churches

Beginner churches find it difficult to recruit people to serve. Their recruitment strategy is often to pray that trained workers from other churches join their church in the future. They do not allow new people to serve unless they have a long history of service in another church. The pastor or key ministry leaders are usually responsible for recruitment, leaving the church suffering from the proverbial problem of only 10 percent of the people doing 90 percent of the work.

PLAN OF ACTION IF YOU LEAD A BEGINNER CHURCH

Novice Churches

Novice churches have never given serious consideration to using new people, and of course, only a few if any entry-level areas of service are available for new people. Sermons or classes in the past have focused on the topic of spiritual gifts but have produced no lasting benefit to the number of people serving in the church. However, the pastor does exhort people from the pulpit to use their spiritual gifts, but few understand how to use them. Those who desire to serve cannot find a clear pathway to do so. Members are often heard complaining that only 20 percent of the people are doing 80 percent of the work.

PLAN OF ACTION IF YOU LEAD A NOVICE CHURCH

Intermediate Churches

Intermediate churches have started to take seriously the teaching, training, and recruiting of people based on their spiritual gifts. They’ve made a number of attempts to train and equip people for service, but the church is still seeking a workable system. The attempts have produced some results, and about 30 percent of attendees are involved in an aspect of personal ministry. Newcomers are allowed to serve in low-level ministry positions. However, only relatively few entry-level jobs are available.

PLAN OF ACTION IF YOU LEAD AN INTERMEDIATE CHURCH

Advanced Churches

Advanced churches have developed and are using effective systems for recruiting, training, and deploying people in ministry. They have articulated clear pathways to service, which they publish widely in brochures and on the church’s website. The church has assigned to a pastor the responsibility of helping people discover and use their spiritual gifts. At last count, the church has around 40 percent of its people serving in some form, both inside and outside the church.

PLAN OF ACTION IF YOU LEAD AN ADVANCED CHURCH

Elite Churches

Elite churches have clear pathways to service, as well as very workable systems to place people in ministry. Newcomers understand how to get involved in service and find it easy. Numerous classes and/or small groups offer training for people to understand their gifts and passions for ministry. Churches provide wide ranges of service opportunities and large numbers of entry-level ministries for newcomers. They also help people understand their gifts and find them places to serve. Over 50 percent of people serve in some ministry role.

PLAN OF ACTION IF YOU LEAD AN ELITE CHURCH

Main Points

  • Beginning church: does not use spiritual gifts in any significant manner.
  • Novice church: teaches spiritual gifts but does not employ them in ministry.
  • Intermediate church: uses gift-based ministry, but there is limited opportunity for new people.
  • Advanced church: a Ministry Placement Team is functioning to recruit, train, and deploy people into gift-based ministry.
  • Elite church: gift-based ministry is fully functional at every level of the church body.